Carton closing and taping machine



Sept. 16, 1969 G. J. MUMPER CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE Origihal Filed Nov. 9. 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEORG-I J. MUMPIR BY M Lr-Mv ML Arramvtv! u u m QV u u u G. J. MUMPER CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 9. 1961 Sept. 16, 196 9 8 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR. Glaze: J. MuMPER ATTOEMEYI M,WYW

Sept. 16, 1969 G. J. MUMPER CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE BY QM,

Original Filed Nov. 9, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

6:02am J. Mumps-e BY AFTQRNEYS Se t. 16, 1969 cs. J. MUMPER CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 9. 1961 Se t. 16, 1969 G. J. MUMPER CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE Original Fild Nov. 9. 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 mvsmox -a'anan J. MUMPER AM W 1 AM A 1' rakwt Y5 Sept. 16, 1969 G. J, MUMPER CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Nov. 9, 1961 INVENTOR. 650: J. Mum PER Mm m AM ATTORIYIY Sept. 16, 1969 G. J. MUMPER CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet -7 MIMY ArroAWl'Y Original Filed New. 9. 1961 LINE Sept- 16, 1969 G. J. MUMPER 3,466,843

CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 9. 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 LINE INVENTOR. 6500;: J. MuMPER QMJQMMM A frat/v! Y United States Patent 3,466,843 CARTON CLOSING AND TAPING MACHINE George J. Mumper, 5211 W. Midland Drive, Milwaukee, Wis. 53220 Continuation of application Ser. No. 151,370, Nov. 9, 1961. This application Mar. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 625,878 Int. Cl. B65b 51/06, 7/20, 57/02 US. Cl. 53137 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The instant application is a continuation of parent application 151,370, filed Nov. 9, 1961, and entitled Carton Closing and Taping Machine, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a carton closing and taping machine.

One of the features of the machine consists in the fact that it will automatically adjust itself to handle cartons of differing sizes in any order. As each carton enters the machine it is held until the preceding carton reaches a certain point in the closing and taping operation. Thereupon the newly arrived carton is automatically advanced in timed relation to the functioning of the machine. In the course of its advance it is centered by floating lateral guides and the flaps to be taped are held down under pressure.

In this condition, the carton dwells at a control station while the taping head is automatically adjusted to a level corresponding to the height of the closed carton.

The taping head is bodily movable vertically. Its height is automatically adjusted by light beam control means which arrests taping head movement at the point at which it is properly positioned to match the height of the carton. There are a number of ways of accomplishing this result. In the preferred operation two light beams are slightly spaced vertically and the taping head moves in either direction toward a position in which the uppermost of these beams is open and the lowermost is interrupted by the carton.

The carton now automatically resumes its advance and passes beneath the adjusted taping head. Contact with the carton itself is used to feed a length of gummed tape which is appropriate for the length of the particular carton to be taped. The carton movement is also responsible for retracting the cutoff knife from the path of the advance of the gummed tape, the knife being biased to shear the gummed tape at a predetermined point related to carton length. As the gummed tape is fed, its gummed surface is moistened in a manner such that the gummed surface is subjected to mechanical working to assure thorough softening of the adhesive by the water.

An important feature of the taping head consists in an applicator involving a novel arrangement of pressure applying rollers which function in a manner to tension the tape where it passes about the corners of the carton. For this purpose, the rollers first encountered by the box comprise an arrangement of a cluster of two or more freely rotatable rollers on a carrier which is rotatable Patented Sept. 16, 1969 "ice bodily upon a carrier spindle, As the carton advances, it picks up the tape and pushes it against concurrently two of the three rollers shown. The roller carrier spindle is supported on a lever which is biased in opposition to carton advance, thus causing the rollers to press the tape against the end of the carton. As the carton advances, the lever which carries the spindle swings downwardly and then upwardly so that the rollers traverse the tape to the top of the carton. At that point the first roller swings over the corner of the carton to engage the tape with the top surfaces of the carton flaps. This is followed by similar movement of the second roller about the corner of the carton. The two rollers then continue along the top, tensioning and pressing the tape as they go, until the carton passes from beneath them. At this point control is transferred to a follower roller which engages the rear end of the carton and which is mounted on another lever intergeared with the lever which carries the spindle for the roller cluster first engaged by the carton. The follower roller thereupon moves down the end of the carton to complete the pressure engagement of the entire length of tape with both ends of the carton as well as its top flaps.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine frame and conveyor system, portions of the apparatus being omitted.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view taken in longitudnial section on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view taken in section on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail view in plan taken from the viewpoint indicated at 7-7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in plan showing the input and timing conveyor portion of the apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a detail view in section taken on line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the taping head.

FIG. 11 is a view in longitudinal section through the taping head on line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the taping head in side elevation on line 12-12 of FIG. 10, fragmentarily illustrating a box passing beneath the taping head, the water font being omitted.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary detail view in longitudinal section showing portions of the taping head and tape cutoff knife in the plane of FIG. 11, but viewed in the opposite direction.

FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 are fragmentary detail views respectively showing positions of the tape pressing rollers which are different from those shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged detail view of the taping head in transverse section on the line 16-16 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 17 is a view taken in section on the line 17-17 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary detail view in plan of the parts shown in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a view on an enlarged scale taken in section on line 19-19 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale taken on line 20-20 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 21-21 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 22 is a diagram of the taping head height control circuit.

FIG. 23 is a diagram of the timing belt control circuit.

FIG. 24 is a view in perspective showing a carton as received by the machine.

FIG. 25 is a view in perspective showing a carton as taped and delivered by the machine.

The machine frame 1 supports a roller type gravity infeed conveyor 3, an intermittently operable timing conveyor 5, a feed conveyor 7 which advances successive cartons beneath a taping head generically designated by reference character 9, and a table or output conveyor 11 onto which taped cartons are successively delivered. It is the function of the timing conveyor to deliver successive cartons beneath the flap closing plow generically designated by reference character 13 to the measuring station 15 in which a carton 17 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5. Means is provided as hereinafter described for centering the carton on the conveyor 7 as it approaches the measuring station 15 so that, regardless of the length, width, or height of the carton it will be properly positioned on conveyor 7.

While the carton dwells momentarily at the station 15 by reason of the conveyor organization hereinafter described, electric-eye circuits are energized to activate controls for the taping head to adjust this to the carton height. The length of tape feed is determined by passage of each successive carton beneath a wheel operated by direct contact with the top of the carton to drive the tape feeder in a manner to correlate it to the carton lengh.

Having described the general organization, I shall now describe the details thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1, the various cartons 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 are of widely differing dimensions. The gravity roller type infeed conveyor 3 may be of any desired length and the cartons may be placed there manually or mechanically with their line of closure aligned with the conveyor. The more advanced carton 18 on the infeed conveyor 3 engages a stop 21 at the end of a lever 23 which is pivoted at 25 and has a terminal portion 27 disposed in the path of one of the lugs 29 carried by the continually operating feed conveyor 7. These lugs are spaced along the conveyor chains much more widely than the length of a carton. Thus, after each successive carton is delivered to the measuring station 15, the arrangement is such that it will be permitted a period of dwell at station 15 before the arrival of one of the propelling lugs 29 of chain conveyor 7, which will advance the carton to the taping head.

The continually operating feed conveyor comprises chains 7 passing over drive sprockets 31, and guide sprockets 33, 35, and 37. Sprocket means 31 is driven through a speed reducer from a motor 39. At both sides of the machine the sprockets 35 are supported on a shaft 41. The shaft is used merely for support, having no driving connection with either sprocket 35.

As shown in FIG. 21, shaft 41 carries the pulley 43 over which the timing conveyor belt 5 is trained. This pulley and the shaft 41 upon which it is mounted, receive motion periodically from a lower shaft 47 to which the sprockets 33 of the chain conveyor 7 are fixed. A chain 49 connects shaft 47 with a jack-shaft 51 which drives an aligned shaft 53 through an electromagnetically controlled clutch 55. Operable alternately with the clutch 55 is an electromagnetically controlled brake 57 for arresting the rotation of shaft 53 wherever the clutch 55 is deenergized. Shaft 53, in turn, is connected by chain 59 to the aforesaid shaft 41 which carries pulley 43 to drive the timing conveyor 5.

When a carton leaving station 15 enroute to the taping head 9 passes limit switch 61 (FIGS. 23 and 2), the carton propelling bar or lug 29 of feed conveyor chains 7 closes this switch and energizes the circuit shown in FIG. 23. This energizes the relay 63 to move its armature in opposition to the spring 64 for engaging the normally disengaged clutch 55 and releases the normally engaged brake 57. The relay also energizes a holding circuit through the normallv closed switch 67.

Thus the departure of a carton from the measuring station 15 results in the transmission of motion from the continually operating chain conveyor 7 through the clutch 55 and shaft 41 to the timing conveyor belt 5. The incoming carton 18 will already be engaged with the belt, since the dog or stop 21 on lever 23 will have been retracted from the path of carton 18 by engagement of one of the lugs 29 of conveyor 7 with the end 27 of lever 23. However, the carton will merely rest upon the stationary belt, without advance, until the belt is set in motion by the closing of switch 61 and the energization of relay 63 as above described.

When the belt 5 is set in motion by the relay controlled engagement of clutch 55, the incoming carton will advance with the belt until it is lifted free of the belt by inclined planes at opposite sides of the belt. These are provided by the wedges 71 (FIGS. 2 and 5). Belt 5 is provided with a single carton propelling lug at 73 which normally lies immediately adjacent limit switch 67 as shown in FIG. 5. As the belt 5 continues to move, the lug 73 ultimately engages the rear of a carton supported on the inclined planes 71 to advance the carton to the measuring station 15. As the carton reaches that station the lug passes downwardly about the guide pulley 43, thereby terminating the propulsion of the carton. In the course of its downward movement the lug activates the limit switch 67 to break the holding circuit of relay 63, thereby permitting clutch 55 to disengage and brake 57 to engage. This resets the timing conveyor for the next operation upon a successive carton.

As the carton is moved by the timing conveyor 5 toward the station 15, it is subjected to a centering operation and a flap closing operation. The carton 18, or any other carton, entering the machine will have its flaps in the approximate positions shown in FIG. 24. The front and rear flaps 75 and 77 will have been folded inwardly and the side flaps 79 and 81 will be partially folded over them. The carton may or may not be centered.

The centering mechanism comprises a pair of plates 83 and 85 mounted on carriages 87 and 89 respectively, these being reciprocable transversely of frame 1 on rails 91 and 93 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The plates 83 and 85 are respectively equipped with oblique gathering arms shown at 95 and 97 in FIG. 2.

The respective carriages 87 and 89 have links 99 and 101 connecting them with a counterweight 103 which is guided for vertical reciprocation in ways provided by the depending arms 105 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Because of the bias of weight 103 acting on plates 83 and 85, one or another on these plates will exert pressure on the sides of a carton which is laterally displaced.

The arrangement is calculated to center an advanced carton 18 upon the longitudinal rails 107 along which the conveyor chains 7 extend as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Spanning the infeed conveyor 3 is a bridge arrangement 109 which includes a bar 111 upon which the arms 113 of the flap closing plow 13 are oscillatable, being pivotally counterbalanced by spring and shock absorber assemblies 112.

Plow 13 is centrally bowed upwardly at 115 to engage and close the side flaps of an incoming carton. Pivoted at the delivery end of the plow is a pressure plate 117 subject to the bias of a compression spring 119 which holds it in pressure engagement with the carton flaps which have been closed by the plow 13. The pressure plate 117 is thin and flat and remains in engagement with the closed flaps of a carton which is dwelling at station 15.

Such a carton (as for example, the carton 17 shown in FIG. 5) will engage and close the limit switch 120, which is connected in a light beam circuit shown in FIG. 22. The presence of the carton at measuring station 15 is a prerequisite to condition the light beam circuit for energization upon the closing of limit switch 121 by the chain conveyor lug 29' which is expelling a carton onto the delivery table 11 (cf. FIG. 5 and FIG. 2).

The ultimate purpose of the light beam circuit is to etfect adjustment of the taping head to correspond to the height of the carton momentarily dwelling in the measuring station thus enabling the taping head to operate properly on the respective carton when the carton is advanced beneath the head. In order to explain the functioning of the circuit, it is first necessary to explain the means provided for the vertical movement of the taping head 9.

Columns 125, 126 provide Ways 127 for a vertically reciprocable slide 129 which includes a transverse member 131 supporting the taping head 9. The head is raised and lowered by the reciprocable piston 133 of a doubleacting ram cylinder 135. The two ends of the cylinder are supplied with fluid through the pipes 137 and 139 under pressure of a pump 141 and subject to the control of a valve 143 whereby pipes 137 and 139 may be selectively connected to the pump 141 or to the return line 145 which leads to the reservoir 147.

The taping head 9 is provided with laterally spaced arms 151, 152 which project from the taping head rearwardly along opposite sides of the chain conveyor 7 to positions at opposite sides of the chain conveyor 7 to positions at opposite sides of the measuring station 15. Mounts 153, 154 carry vertically spaced sets of paired light sources and electric eyes. Three fourths of an inch of vertical spacing between the respective beams has been found satisfactory in practice. The upper beam between light source 155 and electric eye 156 is shown diagrammatically at 157 in FIG. 6. The lower beam between light source 159 and electric eye 160 is represented diagrammatically at 161. The circuit organization is such that if both beams are intercepted by a carton in the measuring station 15 the valve 143 Will be adjusted to a position which will admit fluid under pressure to the lower end of the raan cylinder 135 to cause the piston 133 to raise the taping head. If neither beam is intercepted by the carton in station 15 when the circuit is energized, fluid under pressure will be admitted to the top of the ram cylinder 135 to lower the taping head. Obviously the raising or lowering of the taping head will cause the arms 153, 154 and the respective light sources and electric eyes to move with the taping head. Regardless of the direction of movement, the taping head will come to rest whenever the upper beam 157 clears the carton 17 and the lower beam 161 is intercepted thereby. The circuit by which this result is achieved will now be described.

As has already been indicated, switches 120 and 121 'are in series so that the ram will not be supplied with pressure until both of these switches are closed. Switch 120 is closed by a carton at the measuring station 15. Switch 121 is disposed in the path of one of the lugs 29 of chain conveyor 7 to be actuated when such lug reaches the position shown in FIG. 2 in the ejection of the preceeding carton 16 from beneath the taping head.

The upper light source 155 and the lower light source 159 are continuously energized as shown in FIG. 22. The respective photoelectric cells 156 and 160 are also continuously supplied with current through the transformer and rectifier 165. The connection from the -DC current source 165 to the photoelectric cell 156 is made through the winding 167 of a relay 169 having contacts 171 and 173. The connection from the DC current source 165 to the photoelectric cell 160 is made through the winding 175 of a relay 177 having contacts 179 and 181. The spring 183 biases the relay 169 to a normally closed position whereas the spring 185 biases relay 177 to a normally open position.

With the photoelectric cells 156 and 160 both above the top of carton 17 as shown in FIG. 5, both of the photoelectric cells will be conductive, and both of the relays 169 and 177 will be energized as shown in FIG. 22. This will open the lifting circuit controlled by normally closed contact 171 of relay 169 and close the lowering circuit controlled by normally open contact 179 of relay 177. Consequently as soon as relay 185 is energized by current flowing in its coil 187 as the result of the closing of both of switches 120 and 121 as above described, the normally open contact 189 will close to energize the down solenoid 191 of valve 143. Immediately ram piston 133 will lower the taping head. The holding contacts 179 of relay 177 and 193 of relay 185 will keep relay 185 energized after the switch 121 opens following its momentary closure by lug 29'. However, as soon as light beam 161 is intercepted by the top of carton 17 the relay 177 will be de-energized and the holding circuit will be broken to de-energize relay 185, thus arresting the lowering operation of the ram with the taping head at the level of the carton top. The arrested position of the arms attached to the taping head is shown in FIG. 6.

If the light beams 157 and 161 are both below the level of a carton at the measuring station 15, neither of the solenoids 167 or 175 will be energized. The contacts 171, 173 of relay 169 will then be in their normally closed position while the contacts 179, 181 of relay 177 will be in their normally open position. Thereupon the closing of the switch 121, consequent upon the ejection of the previously taped carton from beneath the taping head, will energize solenoid 187 of relay 185. Current will then flow through contact 171 of relay 169 to the solenoid 195 of valve 143 through contact of relay 185. This will deliver fluid under pressure to the lower end of cylinder 135 to raise the ram piston 133, thereby elevating the taping head 9 and the paired light sources and electric eyes above described. This condition will continue, with the circuit closed by the holding contact 173 of relay 169, until the upper light beam 157 clears the carton at station 15. The resulting flow of current through the electric eye 156 will then energize coil 167 to break all circuits through relay 169, permitting relay 185 to open, thereby terminating the upward movement of the taping head. Once more the situation will be as shown in FIG. 6, with light beam 157 continuous above the carton and light beam 161 brokenby the carton.

If the newly arrived carton were the same identical height as that which had previously traversed the machine, the situation would obviously remain as shown in FIG. 6 and there would be no movement of the taping head.

In the actual apparatus the described mechanism for adjusting the height of the taping head operates with considerable rapidity.

When the lug 29' of the chain conveyor 7 closes switch 121, the lug 29 is in a position directly below the measuring station 15 as shown in FIG. 5. In the actual machine this lug will engage the carton 17 at the measuring station in one second. Prom either of its extreme positions the taping head will move the entire length of its stroke in eight-tenths of one second. Consequently there is ample time for the relays to function and to adjust the taping head to the proper height before the carton in the measuring station is advanced beneath the taping head.

The taping head shown in FIGS. 10 to 20 can be used without the automatic self-adjustment feature above described. Its operation is as follows.

The taping head 9 desirably has its components assembled in a box 199 suspended on the slide 131 beneath the ram plunger 133. Projecting from the slide are guide rods 201 which are desirably convergent inwardly and downwardly to assure that the carton flaps 79, 81 closed by the plow 115 will remain closed as the carton approaches the taping head.

At the sides of the box 199 are holdown bars 205 floatingly suspended on links 207, 209. These bars are upturned at their ends to engage the carton flaps and are subjected to the bias of compression springs 213 which tend to urge the bars to their lowermostpositions as shown in FIG. 11. These bars continue to hold the carton flaps tightly closed. In the event of undue friction they yield rearwardly and upwardly in the direction of carton travel, this being to the right as 'viewed in FIG. 11.

As the carton starts to pass beneath the taping head, its forward top corner engages an arm 215 supported in depending position on the bell crank lever 217. The advancing carton lifts the plate against the bias of counterweight 219 from a position determined by a stop provided by set screw 221. A link 223 communicates motion from hell crank 217 to an arm 225 of rock shaft 227, from which arms 229 support a cutoff knife or shear blade 231 (FIGS. 11, 16, 17).

The gummed tape 235 is fed from supply roller 237 about idler 239 and idler 241 to extend downwardly through a feed slot 243 between a fixed plate 245 and a plate 247 which is so mounted as to be readily removable for cleaning. A rubber covered feed roller 249 is mounted on a shaft 251 in a position in which it projects through an arcuate slot 253 in plate 245 into the tape feed slot 243 to engage the tape therein. A backing roll 255 engages the opposite side of the tape, being mounted in slot 257 in the removable plate 247. The backing roll idles on a shaft 259 carried by an arm 261 which is suspended from car 263 and subject to the bias of spring 265.

Before the incoming carton advances beneath the taping head, the free end of the gummed tape 235 is normally at the level of the stationary shear bar 267 and the movable shear blade 231 is beneath it in a position to obstruct its advance as shown in FIG. 11. However, as the advancing carton begins to move beneath the tap ing head 9, it engages and displaces the plate 215 to retract the movable shear blade 231 from the position shown in FIG. 11 to that shown in FIG. 17, thus leaving unobstructed the path for advance of the tape.

In order that the extent of tape advance may be proportioned to the length of the carton to be taped, the tape feed roll 249 is actuated directly from the carton. This is done by engagement of the carton with a knurled wheel 271 connected by chain 273 with sprocket 275 from which the feed roll 249 is driven by chain 277 (FIG. 11). Since the tape is to extend not only across the margins of the side flaps at the top of the carton, but also from the side flaps part way down both ends of the carton, the length of tape fed will always exceed the length of the carton. However, inasmuch as the knurled wheel 271 is actuated directly by the carton, the length of tape fed will always be related to the carton length.

With the shear 231 retracted, as in FIG. 17, the tape will be advanced by the feed roll 249 from the guide slot 279 past the moistening roll 281 and the backup roll 283. The moistening roll 281 has its lower periphery portion disposed in the water 285 in tank 287. The roll is continuously driven by chain 289 from its own motor 291. A doctor roll 293 floats in oblique guide slots 295 and bears against roll 281 to divest the moistening roll 281 of excess water. The backup roll 283 is similiarly guided in oblique guide slots 295. Its weight biases it to hold the tape against the surfaces of the moistening roll 281.

As best shown in FIG. 19, the backup roll 283 has lands 297 of slightly increased radius, the resulting clearance between roll 283 and roll 281 being only one onethousandth of an inch less than the thickness of the tape used. The clearance keeps the roll 283 from contacting the wet surface of the moistening roll 281. Thus there is no tendency to moisten the back side of the tape, as would occur if the roll 283 became wet.

Grooves 299 in the moistening roll 281 receives fingers 301 which strip the tape from the wet surfaces of the moistening roll and direct it downwardly between the wall of the reservoir 287 and the guide bar 303.

The moistening roll is driven at a rate such that the linear travel of its surface exceeds materially the rate of linear advance of the tape. Thus the wet surface of the moistening roll rubs and manipulates the adhesive on the surface of the tape in the presence of the moisture to soften the adhesive to a degree which would not occur if the moistening roll and the tape were being moved at the same linear rate of travel.

Even though the adhesive is hard, some of it may rub off against the plate 247 as the tape traverses the slot 243. To facilitate cleaning, the plate 247 is readily removable, being mounted in ways and supported by the heads of screws 305 (FIGS. 16 and 17) and releasably positioned by a spring pressed ball detent 307 (FIG. 20).

FIG. 12 shows a carton 17 advancing from right to left under the taping head, this side of the taping head being illustrated because of the fact that certain of the mechanical connections between parts are mounted on this side.

FIG. 13 shows the carton 17 with its leading end 17a having rotated the knurled wheel 271 sufficiently to feed the tape 235 downwardly past moistening roll 281 into the path of the carton, with the terminal end 236 of the gummed tape part way down the end of the carton.

As the carton approaches the point of contact with the moistened gummed surface of the tape, the tape hangs immediately ahead of the cluster 315 of applicator rolls 317. These rolls 317 are individually rotatable on spindles provided by the carrier 319. The carrier 319, in turn, is bodily rotatable on a shaft 321 carried by arm 323. This arm is biased toward the position in which it is illustrated in FIG. 13 by biasing means acting thereon through the rock shaft 325 on which the arm is carried. This biasing means will be described hereafter.

It will be observed that the carrier 319 is free to adjust itself rotatably according to the pressures to which it is subjected. In its initial position the axis of one of the rollers 317 will be approximately at the level of the top of the advancing carton while another roller will be offset downwardly.

As the carton advances, it pushes the tape into engagement with these two rollers, the third roller, if there are but three, being idle at this time. Only two rollers are used in any one operation and two are suflicient as yieldably centered. However, to make the device self-adjusting, without extraneous mechanism, three are preferred.

Under pressure of the advancing carton the arm 323 and rock shaft 325 are caused to oscillate clockwise as viewed in FIG. 13 and FIG. 12. This causes the roller cluster 315 to move downwardly. The two rollers 317 which are engaging the tape are caused by this movement to roll the tape into intimate contact with the end surface 17a of the advancing carton.

When the carton reaches the position shown in FIG. 12 the axis of the shaft 321 on which the cluster is rotatable will have passed beneath the axis of rock shaft 325 whereby further continued pressure of the carton on the rollers will cause the cluster to move upwardly rather than downwardly along the length of tape which has now been adhered to the end surface 17a of the carton. Meantime the rate of movement of the carton is slightly in excess of the linear rate of feed of the tape 235 thereby tensioning the tape around the corner 17b of the carton. Continued advance of the carton forces the lever arm 323 upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 14, where one of the rollers 317 will have commenced to move around the corner 17b of the carton onto the carton top. It will, of course, be understood that the tape will span the joint between the carton flaps and will thereby be forced into contact with both flaps under bias of the counter-clockwise pressure ex.- erted by arm 323.

In the further continued advance of the carton, two of the three rollers 317 of the cluster 315 will ride along the tape for the whole length of the carton top.

The movement of the rollers 317 successively around the corner 17b of the advancing carton accomplishes a very desirable result in that the tape is drawn snugly about this corner of the carton without slack and is maintained under tension to hold the flaps tightly in their closed positions.

The clockwise oscillation of the rock shaft 325 as above described is communicated through motion transmitting connections to produce opposite angular movement of a rock shaft 329 which has an arm 341 supporting a follower roll 343. Preferably the motion is transmitted through a pinion 327 on this rock shaft 325 to a train of gears comprising gears 329, 331, 333 and 335 to pinion 337 on rock shaft 339 to oscillate arm 341 and roller 343. FIG. 11 shows the initial positions of these parts as viewed from the other side of the taping head. When the carton has advanced to the position of FIG. 12, the roller cluster 315 is in its lowermost position and the same is true of the follower roller 343. As the rollers 317 of cluster 315 are forced to the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 12, the clockwise rotation of rock shaft 325 causes a like counter-clockwise rotation of rock shaft 329 to elevate the follower roller 323 to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 12.

As the carton advances it passes from beneath the knurled wheel 271, whereby this wheel ceases to communicate any tape feeding motion to the feed roll 249. However, from this point on until the tape is severed, such additional tape as may be required to tape the whole length of the carton will continue to be fed by reason of the fact that the tape is securely adhered to the advancing carton and by carton movement will be drawn from the supply roll until cutoff occurs.

As the carton advances, it reaches a point where the plate 215 drops behind the corner 17c at the rear end 17d of the carton. The lever 217 which carries plate 215 is biased by the adjustable weight 219 on the arm 220 (FIG. 11). The resulting motion is communicated through link 223 to the rock shaft 227 from which arms 229 support the shear blade 231. This causes the shear blade 231 to move with shearing action past the edge of stationary shear bar 267, thereby severing the tape.

The follower roll 343 will be moving along the top of the carton subject to the bias referred to above and will supplement the action of rolls 317 in pressing the tape tightly against the carton flaps. When the rolls 317 finally clear the rear corner 17c of the carton the cluster 315 will still be held in elevated position by reason of its intergeared connection with the arm 341 which carries the follower roll 343. When the follower roll passes the rear corner 17c at the end 17d of the advancing carton it will start downwardly along the trailing end 238 of the tape to force it against the rear end 17d of the carton as shown in FIG. 15. The pressure of roll 343 is not merely downwardly but is also exerted forwardly due to the rotative clockwise bias on the rock shaft 339, which, in the position of the parts shown in FIG. 15, is still well in advance of the rear end surface 17d of the carton. In consequence of this operation, the entire length of the trailing end portion 238 of the tape is urged against the carton to complete the taping operation.

As the follower roll 343 moves downwardly, the cluster 315 will move downwardly toward starting position at a corresponding rate through the intergeared connection between rock shafts 339 and 325 as above described.

The bias exerted on these rolls during the taping operation may be transmitted to the roll supporting arms 341 and 323 through the same gear train which connects such arms. The gear 335 has a pinion 353 connected with it as shown in FIG. 12. This pinion meshes with a gear 355 on rock shaft 357. An arm 359 on this rock shaft carries a heavy weight 361 adjustable longitudinally thereon to provide the desired degree of bias on the applicator rolls. A stop 363 adjustably defines the normal position of the rolls by engagement with the free end of arm 359 (FIG. 11).

Although springs and weights are generally regarded as equivalent, it has been found that weights give important advantages over springs in the instant device, the arrangement being such that substantially throughout the range of operation there is little or no perceptible change in bias. The constant bias has been found very valuable.

Although the operation of the various parts of the machine has been described, the operation of the machine as a whole will be summarized.

W1thin a substantial range of dimensions, the machine w ll handle the taping of cartons of different heights and widths and lengths delivered to it in any order. In the following description it will be assumed that the machine is in operat1on with the advancing means operating to pass carton 16 beneath the taping head as shown in FIG. 1, another carton 17 dwelling momentarily at the measuring station and a series of cartons on the infecd conveyor 3. The first of the series of cartons on the infeed conveyor 3 is temporarily restrained against advance by the retractable stop 21. The chain conveyor 7 is in continuous operation, in the course of which its carton propelling lug 29 will engage lever 23 to retract the stop 21, thereby allowing the foremost carton on the infecd conveyor to advance by gravity onto the intermittently operable timing belt 5.

When the carton 16 is discharged from beneath the tapinghead by the propelling lug 29' of the continuously operat ng chain conveyor 7, such lug closes a switch 121 in series with a switch closed by the presence of carton 17 at the height measuring station. This energizes the electric eye circuits as above described to cause the taping head and the light beam control means to funct1on to adjust the taping head to the correct height for the carton which is in the measuring station 15. This happens in a fraction of a second before the next lug of chain 7 reaches the point of advancing the carton at the measuring station 15 toward the taping head 9.

In the initial course of such advance, the carton propelllng lug of chain 7 closes a switch 61 to release the brake and engage the clutch shown in FIG. 21 for driving the belt conveyor 5 for advance of the first incoming carton. At first the carton is advanced only by friction of the belt therewith and it is raised onto the inclined planes 71 so that it will not advance beyond a predetermined point until engaged by the single lug 73 with which the belt 5 is provided and whereby further advance of the carton will be in timed relation to the advance of carton 17 with chain conveyor 7. As the newly arriving carton 18 is picked up by lug 73 for positive advance, it is centered and also has its flaps closed so that as it enters the height measuring station 15, its flaps will be held tightly shut so that the beams from the light sources will accurately position the taping head.

As already indicated, only a fraction of a second is required to move the taping head. The dwell of the carton in the height measuring station only needs to be about one second. Following such dwell the carton will advance beneath the taping head where its flaps will be held tightly closed while the carton cams upwardly the plate which retracts the shear from the path of the tape, thus allowing the tape to be fed downwardly by engagement of a knurled wheel with the carton itself.

As the tape is fed downwardly its gummed surface is moistened in a manner to work the water into the adhesive. The end of the advancing carton forces the depending end of the adhesive tape against applicator rolls which move on a pivoted arm upon an arcuate path which causes the rolls to move along the depending end of the tape for the entire length thereof to roll the tape tightly into adhesive contact with the end of the carton.

As soon as the tape is securely fixed to the front of the carton a positive feed thereof is no longer required, as the carton itself draws from the supply roll any requisite amount of tape. Therefore, the feed is discontinued when the carton passes from beneath the knurled driving roll. Finally, at a predetermined point the arm which controls the shear blade falls free of the trailing end of the carton, allowing the shear blade to sever the tape from the supply, pressure application of the trailing end of the tape continuing until the whole thereof has been adhered under pressure to the carton. The follower roll not only moves across the top of the carton but moves under pressure down the rear wall of the carton in the course of carton advance.

While there are important advantages in the combination hereindisclosed, it will be apparent that portions thereof are independently usable. The taping head constitutes a subcombinatio-n which may be used in other types of taping machines without the automatic adjustment feature. Conversely, the automatic adjustment feature can be used to adjust the height of other tools to correspond with the height of a workpiece upon which they are to operate. The arrangement whereby the gummed surface of the tape is not only moistened but manipulated to work the water into the adhesive is a feature usable in other tape moistening equipment. The box centering device, the particular flap closure and the timing mechanism are likewise features independently usable.

I claim:

1 In a machine for taping the top opening flaps of a carton having initially elevated side flaps, the combination of (A) carton advancing means (I) having side flap closing means (B) a carton taping head in the path of cartons advancing on the carton advancing means (I) having tape-applying means, and (C) means operable after said side fiap closing means has closed the side flaps for automatically adjusting the height of said head in conformity with the height of each carton approaching said head on said carton advancing means, and

(I) downstream from the side flap closing means and including a sensing device laterally adjacent the path of such cartons as they approach the head, and

(D) means for holding the side flaps of the cartons closed as they pass said device.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which item C further includes (II) means guiding the head for vertical reciprocation (III) means for moving the head toward a position of desired height, and

(IV) said sensing device including an electric eye and a circuit controlled thereby for interrupting such movement when the tape-applying means of the head reaches the level of the top of the closed carton.

3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the electric eye is exposed transversely of the path of carton advance.

4. A machine according to claim 1 in which the sensing device includes a pair of vertically spaced electric eyes which are laterally adjacent the path of movement of closed cartons approaching said head.

5. A machine according to claim 3 in which the carton advancing means comprises a conveyor having carton propelling lugs for advancing successive cartons on said path, together with means for delivering successive incoming cartons onto said path in advance of said conveyor lug whereby each successive carton has a period of dwell before being engaged by the conveyor lug, the sensing device being disposed opposite the position in which said carton dwells, whereby the means for automatically adjusting the height of said head has time for effecting head adjustment during the dwell of the respective carton.

6. A machine according to claim 5 in which said sensing device comprises a light source and paired electric eyes vertically spaced beside the path of movement upon which cartons are propelled.

7. A machine according to claim 6 in further combination with means for guiding the head for vertical movement, the means for automatically adjusting the height of said head including an actuator for efiecting such vertical movement of the head and circuit connections between said electric eyes and said actuator for raising and lowering said head subject to the control of said electric eyes.

8. A machine according to claim 7 including means for holding the side flaps of the cartons closed as they approach the carton taping head, means for severing a predetermined length of tape exceeding the length of the carton, said head including applicator rollers comprising means for pressing the tape against the carton end and said closed side flaps and about the trailing end of the carton.

9. A machine according to claim 8 in which means advances the tape into the path of an advancing carton and the said rollers back the tape so fed and have mounting means upon which they are yieldable as the carton advances, and means for biasing the applicator rollers toward the carton during passage of the rollers upwardly upon the tape at the end of the carton and along the tape lengthwise of the carton above the closed side flaps, and means for moving said applicator rollers downwardly behind the carton to engage the severed end of the tape with the trailing carton end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,045,402 7/1962 Keely et al 53137 X 3,085,376 4/1963 Ferguson et al 5375 2,244,873 6/1941 Ferguson 53-374 X 3,183,639 5/1965 Rodman 5375 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner NEIL ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

